Sharon started out as a singer/songwriter on a semi-professional basis at fifteen, then moved to London in her early twenties where she was lead singer in numerous rock and punk bands, eventually having her own band playing predominantly her own compositions. In the early eighties, she started working as a session singer at the prestigious Abbey Road Studios and was then signed for a record deal.
She took a break from singing while she brought up her daughter, Eleanore, but during this time undertook a formal classical training with Findlay Wilson of English National Opera.
She returned to singing in 1999 and now works as a contemporary singer, session singer and singing and performance teacher.
As a singer, Sharon has the rare natural ability to sing almost any style of music, effortlessly moving from classical to rock, r’n’b, folk, soul, pop etc. She is an accomplished jazz singer, as much as she is a folk singer and is able to use her voice as a proper instrument, showing different colours and tones, dependent on the style of music.
Sharon currently works as a soloist; in a jazz/swing duo with a male singer as well as with her daughter, Eleanore, with whom she sings more contemporary repertoire including r'n'b, soft rock and pop. She has been involved in many musical projects including, until recently, a six-piece female vocal band, The Cranlettes, She also continues to compose and arrange original compositions with her daughter, the singer/songwriter, Eleanore Duggan (who she also manages).
The word most frequently used to describe Sharon’s teaching by her students is - inspiring. Working with her is a relaxed and happy experience, one that builds confidence, so that she consistently gets the best out of people.
With the strong basis of a formal classical training, combined with her years of experience, she possesses a sound knowledge of how to develop good vocal technique, how to overcome bad vocal habits and of course how to develop good performance techniques as can be seen by her student showcase, “The Big Night Out with Bells On”.
Sharon is a qualified teacher, but only started teaching singing and performance seven years ago. Her first assignment was as the Individual Vocals Tutor at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford, where she spent a year and a half; she has also taught songwriting at Hurtwood House School (6th form public school). She became freelance in 2000 and has been the singing and performance tutor at Cranleigh Arts Centre since 2001. Since 2006, she has been the singing tutor for the West Sussex Adult Education Service. She is choral director for the Cranleigh Contemporary Choir, which she set up in January 2006.
Sharon is the founder of and co-ordinator for the Cranfold Artists' Collective, which she set up in October 2006 (see www.cranfoldartistscollective.co.uk).
Her other activities (other than gardening, knitting and driving everyone nuts by doing crossword puzzles!) include running a sustainable living project with volunteer families and individuals, which she's done for the past two years (the project is monitored and evaluated by WWF and funded by Waverley Borough Council.
In 2007, Sharon became County Sound Radio's "green guru", giving advice on sustainable living issues and took part in regular monthly programmes up until recently. From May 2008, she will be writing a regular blog on environmental issues for the Surrey Advertiser online as their "eco blogger" - part of their Mouthpiece section.
Sharon also supports "Wild for Life" the new local Wildlife Hospital based in Haslemere, by fostering small birds and animals on their road to recovery when required, as well as being a volunteer for The Cinnamon Trust, as a dog walker for owners unable to do so themselves, due to ill health.
She took a break from singing while she brought up her daughter, Eleanore, but during this time undertook a formal classical training with Findlay Wilson of English National Opera.
She returned to singing in 1999 and now works as a contemporary singer, session singer and singing and performance teacher.
As a singer, Sharon has the rare natural ability to sing almost any style of music, effortlessly moving from classical to rock, r’n’b, folk, soul, pop etc. She is an accomplished jazz singer, as much as she is a folk singer and is able to use her voice as a proper instrument, showing different colours and tones, dependent on the style of music.
Sharon currently works as a soloist; in a jazz/swing duo with a male singer as well as with her daughter, Eleanore, with whom she sings more contemporary repertoire including r'n'b, soft rock and pop. She has been involved in many musical projects including, until recently, a six-piece female vocal band, The Cranlettes, She also continues to compose and arrange original compositions with her daughter, the singer/songwriter, Eleanore Duggan (who she also manages).
The word most frequently used to describe Sharon’s teaching by her students is - inspiring. Working with her is a relaxed and happy experience, one that builds confidence, so that she consistently gets the best out of people.
With the strong basis of a formal classical training, combined with her years of experience, she possesses a sound knowledge of how to develop good vocal technique, how to overcome bad vocal habits and of course how to develop good performance techniques as can be seen by her student showcase, “The Big Night Out with Bells On”.
Sharon is a qualified teacher, but only started teaching singing and performance seven years ago. Her first assignment was as the Individual Vocals Tutor at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford, where she spent a year and a half; she has also taught songwriting at Hurtwood House School (6th form public school). She became freelance in 2000 and has been the singing and performance tutor at Cranleigh Arts Centre since 2001. Since 2006, she has been the singing tutor for the West Sussex Adult Education Service. She is choral director for the Cranleigh Contemporary Choir, which she set up in January 2006.
Sharon is the founder of and co-ordinator for the Cranfold Artists' Collective, which she set up in October 2006 (see www.cranfoldartistscollective.co.uk).
Her other activities (other than gardening, knitting and driving everyone nuts by doing crossword puzzles!) include running a sustainable living project with volunteer families and individuals, which she's done for the past two years (the project is monitored and evaluated by WWF and funded by Waverley Borough Council.
In 2007, Sharon became County Sound Radio's "green guru", giving advice on sustainable living issues and took part in regular monthly programmes up until recently. From May 2008, she will be writing a regular blog on environmental issues for the Surrey Advertiser online as their "eco blogger" - part of their Mouthpiece section.
Sharon also supports "Wild for Life" the new local Wildlife Hospital based in Haslemere, by fostering small birds and animals on their road to recovery when required, as well as being a volunteer for The Cinnamon Trust, as a dog walker for owners unable to do so themselves, due to ill health.
email:info@sharonduggan.co.uk Tel: 01483 279803 email:webmaster
www.sharonduggan.co,uk
Biography
